Barum Czech Rally Zlín 

Opel is a partner of Barum Czech Rally Zlín

31. 5. 2016 - Roman Ordelt

The organizers of Barum Czech Rally Zlín, the most significant rally competition in the Czech Republic, entered into partnership with Opel. Therefore, Opel will be an automobile partner of this race. Moreover, the pilots of the popular brand series XTG Opel ADAM Cup and German Opel Motorsport with ADAM R2 cars will be lined up at the start of Barum Rally. The factory team considers Barum Czech Rally Zlín to be one of the three most important events of the season. In Zlín, the top drivers competing in FIA ERC Junior are expected to race.

"Opel has always been trying to enter into partnership with the best in our field, thus cooperation with the most significant and sole domestic rally event in European Rally Championship perfectly complies with this philosophy," said Pavel Šilha, General Director for Opel for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, at a press conference in Prague. Miloslav Regner, Clerk of Barum Czech Rally Zlín, also attended the presentation of brand series Opel ADAM Cup. "We were happy to make such a notable agreement with Opel, because in the past we could witness a whole parade of top drivers closely associated with this manufacturer at Barum Rally. For example, Walter Röhrl, a German two-time World Rally Champion. In the eighties, the brand Opel was behind many triumphs at Barum Rally. Nowadays, Opel ADAM R2 cars are dominating Junior European Championship. In Zlín at the end of August, fans can look forward to neck-to-neck fights and a high-quality motor racing in this category. I am absolutely convinced that our partnership with Opel is a step in the right direction and mutually beneficial."

Only the results of Leg 1 of Barum Rally will be relevant for the overall standings in the seven-part brand series XTG Opel ADAM Cup 2016 and the junior drivers will be fighting for the gold on roads around Zlín within European Championship. Therefore, the concept remains the same as last year when the Swedish youngster Emil Bergkvist confirmed in Zlín his victory in European Championship. "We established partnership with the organizers of Barum Rally because last year's cooperation proved to be successful. The German factory team Opel Motorsport was very excited about the way we promoted Opel within the ERC, and Barum Rally was consequently considered among the three most important races, next to Deutschland Rally, part of World Rally Championship, and Ypres Rally, Belgium. This year we are hoping for more support," said Andrej Barčák, Marketing Director for Opel for Czech Republic and Slovakia, and one of the two drivers sitting behind the wheel of Opel ADAM R2 in Czech Rally Championship.

Aside from Opel ADAM Cup cars with 140 horsepower and sequential gearshift, fans will also see "enhanced" R2 cars. Opel ADAM R2 is powered by 1.6-liter engine with sequential gearbox making 190 horsepower. At the popular Barum Rally (26th to 28th August) Opel cars are expected to appear in great numbers, and surely will not be unnoticed on Special Stages.